A seat can support a user in a seated position to relieve physical stress associated with standing and to allow the user to engage in one or more sedentary activities for prolonged periods of time. Examples of such activities include working at a computer, reading, watching television, and driving an automobile.
Although sitting can alleviate physical stress associated with standing, the user's body can experience other types of physical stress in the seated position. Examples include stress on the user's back, hip, or neck. The amount of stress placed on parts of the user's body in the seated position can be a combination of the user's posture while in the seated position and the amount of time the user spends in the seated position, among other things. Prolonged periods of sitting can also result in circulatory problems that may cause injury to joints or other physical complications. In some circumstances, prolonged periods of sitting with inadequate support can result in injury to the user.
The immobilization of joints through prolonged periods of sitting can lead to chronic inflammation which may be linked to other diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, stroke, and cancer.